Category: Writing

Ep. 229: Shelley Noble on the Ambitious Women Behind The Colony Club

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Today  Shelley Noble is here to tell us all about her new novel, a stunning, Gilded Age NYC-set story about the inception of The Colony Club, the first women’s club of its kind. 

Come for the dazzling setting and stay for an unforgettable story of female ambition. The novel is perfect for fans of Alison Pataki, Fiona Davis, and historical TV shows like The Gilded Age and Downton Abbey.

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“The Colony Club is an inspiring, powerful tribute to the Gilded Age women who broke through barriers to create their own place in the world. This impeccably researched story features real events and people in history, spotlighting the amazing feats women can accomplish when they support each other.” — Madeline Martin, New York Times bestselling author of The Keeper of Hidden Books

Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app.

 

About the Author:

Shelley Noble is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Whisper Beach, Beach Colors, and The Tiffany Girls, the story of the largely unknown women artists responsible for much of Tiffany’s legendary glasswork, as well as several historical mysteries. A former professor, professional dancer and choreographer, she now lives in New Jersey halfway between the shore, where she loves visiting lighthouses and vintage carousels, and New York City, where she delights in the architecture, the theatre, and ferreting out the old stories behind the new. Shelley is a member of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, Women’s Fiction Writers Association, and Historical Novel Society. Learn more: shelleynoble.com

 Browse Books Mentioned On This Episode:

Looking for a book mentioned on the podcast? Want to browse books by past guests? Visit A Bookish Home Podcast’s Bookshop.org page.

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Links: 

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Happy Reading and Listening,

Laura Szaro Kopinski

ABookishHome.com

*A Bookish Home is an affiliate of Bookshop.org. At no extra cost to you, we receive a small commission if you purchase something through the Bookshop.org links provided.

Ep. 227: Rosa Kwon Easton on the Roots of Her Grandmother’s Story in White Mulberry

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Today my guest is Rosa Kwon Easton, author of the evocative debut novel, White Mulberry. Set against the backdrop of the 1930s in Japan-occupied Korea, it tells a rich & deeply moving portrait of a young Korean girl who is torn between two worlds and must reclaim her true identity to provide a future for her family.

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“A beautiful and deeply researched novel…If you loved Pachinko, you’ll love White Mulberry.” —Lisa See, New York Times bestselling author of The Island of Sea Women

 

Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app.

 

About the Author:

Rosa Kwon Easton was born in Seoul, Korea, and grew up with her extended family in Los Angeles. Easton holds a bachelor’s degree in government from Smith College, a master’s in international and public affairs from Columbia University, and a JD from Boston College Law School. She is a lawyer and an elected trustee of the Palos Verdes Library District. She is an Anaphora Writing Residency Fellow, and her work has been published in CRAFT Literary, StoryCenter.org, Writer’s Digest, and elsewhere. She has two adult children and lives with her husband and Maltipoo in sunny Southern California. For more information, visit www.rosakwoneaston.com.

 

 Browse Books Mentioned On This Episode:

Looking for a book mentioned on the podcast? Want to browse books by past guests? Visit A Bookish Home Podcast’s Bookshop.org page.

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Links: 

Macmillan Audio

Happy Reading and Listening,

Laura Szaro Kopinski

ABookishHome.com

*A Bookish Home is an affiliate of Bookshop.org. At no extra cost to you, we receive a small commission if you purchase something through the Bookshop.org links provided.

Ep. 226: Aimie K. Runyan on the Overlooked Mademoiselle Eiffel

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Aimie K. Runyan is back on the podcast this week to discuss Mademoiselle Eiffel, which tells the little-known story of Claire Eiffel, and her significant, though overlooked, contributions to the city of Paris.

Claire was Gustave Eiffel’s daughter, illustrious architect of many global landmarks, including  the Eiffel Tower. Mademoiselle Eiffel contains sweeping themes of love, devotion, and family legacy, and is sprinkled with impeccably researched tidbits of French culture and historical events and figures. It is an absolute delight for historical fiction readers!

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“For anyone who has ever admired the Eiffel Tower, this fascinating tale of a woman ahead of her time will leave a mark on your heart, in much the same way that Claire Eiffel left her mark on the world.” – Kristin Harmel, New York Times bestselling author of The Paris Daughter

Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app.

 

About the Author:

Internationally bestselling author Aimie K. Runyan writes to celebrate unsung heroines. She has written six historical novels (and counting!) and is delving into the exciting world of contemporary women’s fiction. She has been a finalist for the Colorado Book Award three times, a nominee for the Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers’ ‘Writer of the Year, ‘ and a Historical Novel Society’s Editors’ Choice selection. Aimie is active as a speaker and educator in the writing community in Colorado and beyond. She lives in the beautiful Rocky Mountains with her wonderful husband, two adorable (usually) children, two very sweet cats, and a pet dragon. Visit her online at aimiekrunyan.com.

 

 Browse Books Mentioned On This Episode:

Looking for a book mentioned on the podcast? Want to browse books by past guests? Visit A Bookish Home Podcast’s Bookshop.org page.

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Links: 

Macmillan Audio

Happy Reading and Listening,

Laura Szaro Kopinski

ABookishHome.com

*A Bookish Home is an affiliate of Bookshop.org. At no extra cost to you, we receive a small commission if you purchase something through the Bookshop.org links provided.

Ep. 225: Susan Lieu on Grief, Healing, and The Manicurist’s Daughter

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Today my guest is a nationally-acclaimed Vietnamese-American playwright, performer, and author of her debut memoir, The Manicurist’s Daughter, in which Susan shares the story of losing her mom during a routine plastic surgery, her mother’s—and her own—fraught relationship with her body, and the revelations that came from searching for answers in her family’s past as refugees of the Vietnam War.

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“With tenacity, wit, and fierce love, Susan Lieu reconstructs the mother she lost – from memory, through detective work, by spirit conjuring…defying all obstacles and naysayers. A high octane roller coaster to healing.”―Thi Bui, author of The Best We Could Do

Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app.

 

About the Author:

Susan Lieu is a Vietnamese-American author, playwright, and performer who tells stories that refuse to be forgotten. A daughter of nail salon workers, she took her autobiographical solo theatre show 140 LBS: How Beauty Killed My Mother on a 10-city national tour with sold out premieres and accolades from L.A. Times, NPR, and American Theatre. Eight months pregnant, she premiered her sequel OVER 140 LBS as the headliner for ACT Theatre’s SoloFest. Within one year she held 60 performances to over 7,000 people. Her award-winning work has been featured at Bumbershoot, Wing Luke Museum, The Moth Mainstage, On The Boards, The World Economic Forum, RISK!, CAATA ConFest, Viet Film Fest, and she has spoken at more than a dozen universities around the country. She serves as an Artists Up mentor, Artist Trust instructor, “Model Minority Moms” podcaster, and board member for international NGO Asylum Access. As an activist, she worked with Consumer Watchdog to pass a law to raise medical malpractice caps. Susan and her sister co-founded Socola Chocolatier, an artisanal chocolate company based in San Francisco. She is a proud alumna of Harvard College, Yale School of Management, Coro, Hedgebrook, and Vashon Artist Residency. Susan lives with her husband and son in Seattle where they enjoy mushroom hunting, croissants, and big family gatherings. The Manicurist’s Daughter is her first book. Learn more: http://www.susanlieu.com

 

 Browse Books Mentioned On This Episode:

Looking for a book mentioned on the podcast? Want to browse books by past guests? Visit A Bookish Home Podcast’s Bookshop.org page.

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Links: 

Macmillan Audio

Happy Reading and Listening,

Laura Szaro Kopinski

ABookishHome.com

*A Bookish Home is an affiliate of Bookshop.org. At no extra cost to you, we receive a small commission if you purchase something through the Bookshop.org links provided.

Ep. 224: Crystal King on a Modern Reimagining of the Persephone Myth

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Crystal King is back on the podcast to discuss In the Garden of Monsters, a glorious literary feast for the senses—a modern reimagining of the classic myth of Persephone and Hades, set in a real-life garden of stone statues in Italy featuring food, art, literature, and architecture.

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“In the Garden of Monsters is a gorgeous and atmospheric dreamscape of a novel, one that drew me in and took me places both surreal and earthly. Crystal King is a magician, and this novel a delicious spell.”—Danielle Trussoni, New York Times bestselling author of Angelology and The Puzzle Master

 

Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app.

 

About the Author:

Crystal King is an author, culinary enthusiast and marketing expert. She has taught classes in writing, creativity and social media at Harvard Extension School, Boston University, Mass College of Art, UMass Boston and GrubStreet, one of the leading creative writing centers in the US. A Pushcart-nominated poet and former co-editor of the online literary arts journal Plum Ruby Review, Crystal received her M.A. in Critical and Creative Thinking from UMass Boston, where she developed a series of exercises and writing prompts to help fiction writers in medias res. She lives in Boston. Learn more: www.crystalking.com

 

 Browse Books Mentioned On This Episode:

Looking for a book mentioned on the podcast? Want to browse books by past guests? Visit A Bookish Home Podcast’s Bookshop.org page.

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Links: 

Macmillan Audio

Happy Reading and Listening,

Laura Szaro Kopinski

ABookishHome.com

*A Bookish Home is an affiliate of Bookshop.org. At no extra cost to you, we receive a small commission if you purchase something through the Bookshop.org links provided.

Ep. 223: Emily Layden on Once More From the Top – Think a Swift Style Rise to Fame Plus Murder

Posted in Mystery, Suspense, WritingTagged , , , , Leave a comment

Emily Layden is here this week to discuss her addictive new novel, Once More From the Top. Think a Taylor Swift style rise to fame—plus a possible murder.

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“A deliciously insider-y peek into the music industry and fame — Layden has a gift for making the world and her characters feel wonderfully real. You won’t be able to put it down.” — Rufi Thorpe, author of Margo’s Got Money Troubles

Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app.

 

About the Author:

Emily Layden is the author of All Girls, which she developed and wrote an adaptation of for HBO. A graduate of Stanford University, Emily has had her writing appear in The New York Times, Marie Claire, The Billfold, and Runner’s World. A former high school English teacher, she lives in upstate New York. Learn more: http://www.emilylayden.com

 

 Browse Books Mentioned On This Episode:

Looking for a book mentioned on the podcast? Want to browse books by past guests? Visit A Bookish Home Podcast’s Bookshop.org page.

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Links: 

Macmillan Audio

Happy Reading and Listening,

Laura Szaro Kopinski

ABookishHome.com

*A Bookish Home is an affiliate of Bookshop.org. At no extra cost to you, we receive a small commission if you purchase something through the Bookshop.org links provided.

Ep. 222: Kimberly Brock Takes Us to Mysterious Cumberland Island in The Fabled Earth

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Today my guest is Kimberly Brock, author of The Fabled Earth, a sweeping, beautiful written novel inspired by the little-known history of Cumberland Island.

The gentle magic of Alice Hoffman meets the rich details of Kate Morton, all wrapped in southern folklore and charm in this dual-timeline story of three women connected in different ways to the ghosts and secrets of the past.

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‘THE FABLED EARTH is lush and vivid, with passages so beautiful they will break your heart and then turn around and mend it. The lines blur between magic and mystery, pulling you into a dreamy, immersive experience. It’s a tour de force of a novel. You can always tell a born storyteller when you read one. And Kimberly Brock is the real deal.’ — Sarah Addison Allen, New York Times bestselling author of OTHER BIRDS

Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app.

 

About the Author:

Kimberly Brock is the award-winning author of The Lost Book of Eleanor Dare and The River Witch. She is the founder of Tinderbox Writers Workshop and has served as a guest lecturer for many regional and national writing workshops including at the Pat Conroy Literary Center. She lives near Atlanta with her husband and three children. Visit her online at http://www.kimberlybrockbooks.com

 

 Browse Books Mentioned On This Episode:

Looking for a book mentioned on the podcast? Want to browse books by past guests? Visit A Bookish Home Podcast’s Bookshop.org page.

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Links: 

Macmillan Audio

Happy Reading and Listening,

Laura Szaro Kopinski

ABookishHome.com

*A Bookish Home is an affiliate of Bookshop.org. At no extra cost to you, we receive a small commission if you purchase something through the Bookshop.org links provided.

Ep. 221: Lynda Cohen Loigman on the Magic of The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern

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Lynda Cohen Loigman is back this week to discuss The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern, a heartwarming dual timeline historical novel that will have you believing in second chances and wishing for even more time with this charming cast of characters.

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“Mix equal parts humor, heart, and hope and you’ll get The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern, a sparkling ode to second chances. I adored Augusta on both of the book’s timelines, delighting in both her razor-sharp wit as a present-day Floridian retiree and her unrelenting curiosity as a grieving motherless child, in Brooklyn, whose life is upended by an aunt who appears to have spiritual healing powers. Lynda Cohen Loigman’s latest is a must-read that will leave you believing in the power of believing.”-Shelby Van Pelt, New York Times bestselling author of Remarkably Bright Creatures

Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app.

 

About the Author:

Lynda Cohen Loigman graduated from Harvard College and Columbia Law School. Her debut novel, The Two-Family House, was a USA Today bestseller and a nominee for the Goodreads 2016 Choice Awards in Historical Fiction. Her second novel, The Wartime Sisters, was selected as a Woman’s World Book Club pick and a Best Book of 2019 by Real Simple Magazine.

Her most recent book, The Matchmaker’s Gift, was named a Best New Book by People Magazine and a Best Book of Fall by the New York Post, Parade Magazine, Buzzfeed, and Good Morning America.com. The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern is her fourth novel. Learn more: http://www.lyndacohenloigman.com

 

 Browse Books Mentioned On This Episode:

Looking for a book mentioned on the podcast? Want to browse books by past guests? Visit A Bookish Home Podcast’s Bookshop.org page.

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Links: 

Macmillan Audio

Happy Reading and Listening,

Laura Szaro Kopinski

ABookishHome.com

*A Bookish Home is an affiliate of Bookshop.org. At no extra cost to you, we receive a small commission if you purchase something through the Bookshop.org links provided.

Ep. 220: Olivia Rose Darling on Fear the Flames, Your Next Romantasy Obsession

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This week, Olivia Rose Darling is here to discuss the debut romantasy novel and Book Tok sensation that is perfect for fans of A Court of Thorns and Roses and The Fourth Wing. Fear the Flames follows an exiled princess who must enlist the help of the most dangerous man in the kingdom to free her dragons.

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“Fear the Flames is exactly the kind of story that makes my romantasy-loving heart flutter. A scarred, broody hero who worships his queen. A lost princess with daddy issues who can cut a man down without a thought. And dragons. And revenge. All the good stuff I crave. Olivia has crafted a thrilling world with twists and turns that kept me reading well into the night” – Nisha J. Tuli, bestselling author of Trial of the Sun Queen

Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app.

 

About the Author:

Olivia Rose Darling split her time growing up between New York City and Manchester, Vermont. She developed a passion for writing from a very young age, always scribbling poems onto napkins and short stories into her school notebooks. She graduated from Pace University and attained a degree in English with a concentration in creative writing. The Lord of the Rings was Darling’s favorite movie series during her childhood and helped form her fantasy obsession. Being an author and living a life filled with words and magic has always been her dream. Learn more: http://www.oliviarosedarling.com

 

 Browse Books Mentioned On This Episode:

Looking for a book mentioned on the podcast? Want to browse books by past guests? Visit A Bookish Home Podcast’s Bookshop.org page.

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Links: 

Macmillan Audio

Happy Reading and Listening,

Laura Szaro Kopinski

ABookishHome.com

*A Bookish Home is an affiliate of Bookshop.org. At no extra cost to you, we receive a small commission if you purchase something through the Bookshop.org links provided.

Ep. 219: Shawntelle Madison on The Fallen Fruit, a Sweeping Multigenerational Epic

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Shawntelle Madison is here today to discuss The Fallen Fruit, which follows a woman who travels through time to end a family curse that has plagued her ancestors for generations.

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“A mesmerizing tale of a family bound by an extraordinary curse—an uncontrollable ability to fall backwards in time. Spanning generations, their saga weaves a rich tapestry of American history, from the Revolutionary War to the brink of the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s. I loved this book. I wish I could go back in time to read it again for the first time.”

— Jamie Ford, New York Times bestselling author of The Many Daughters of Afong Moy

Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app.

 

About the Author:

Shawntelle Madison is an African American bestselling author of over a dozen paranormal romance, contemporary romance, and fantasy titles. She lives in Missouri with her husband and children.

 

 Browse Books Mentioned On This Episode:

Looking for a book mentioned on the podcast? Want to browse books by past guests? Visit A Bookish Home Podcast’s Bookshop.org page.

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Links: 

Macmillan Audio

Happy Reading and Listening,

Laura Szaro Kopinski

ABookishHome.com

*A Bookish Home is an affiliate of Bookshop.org. At no extra cost to you, we receive a small commission if you purchase something through the Bookshop.org links provided.